Page 28 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 10 February 2015
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That is why he keeps saying “renewal”, because the observers in this town are saying what is true—his mob are tired and distracted. It is quite clear that this was a gross error and was compounded by the Chief Minister’s reaction. Initially he came out supporting the policy. On the Monday he was out there saying, “This is all fine. Doesn’t matter about the colour of the note you put in. More important is the cap.” He was supporting the minister, supporting the policy and locked in behind it. By Tuesday, because he had had a gutful of bad press reports, he was out there sledging his own minister, admonishing her, as Ross Solly observed.
His first reaction was to protect his own skin; he hung Joy Burch out to dry. I am not saying she did not deserve it, but it was interesting to note that the first response from this Chief Minister was not to support his minister but to hang her out to dry. Having done that, he has made impossible the continuing confidence in the minister of this place and the community. If the Chief Minister is not going to support his own minister and is going to hang her out to dry, why should we have confidence in her?
The only thing that saved the minister was that it turned out that this regulation that nobody had seen, that was such an error of judgement, that deserved a dressing down by the Chief Minister, had been co-signed by Simon Corbell, the deputy. That was a bit embarrassing, wasn’t it? Did Simon Corbell know about it? Did he even bother to read the reg? What is the defence from Simon Corbell? Was it that he fully understood the implications and is as guilty as Joy Burch of negligence and incompetence? Or did he just not even bother to read it—too lazy, too busy, too complacent, too “tired and distracted” in the words of Ross Solly? Perhaps so.
Let me read from the Canberra Times on 15 January in an article headed, “Corbell played pokies hand”, by Kirsten Lawson, chief Assembly reporter:
… Andrew Barr laid the blame for the debacle over allowing $50 notes to be used in poker machines squarely with Gaming Minister Joy Burch on Wednesday, but it has now emerged that Deputy Chief Minister Simon Corbell also signed the December … regulation.
Mr Barr said the first he knew that the change had been enacted to allow $50 notes in poker machines, replacing a limit of $20, was when he read it in the Canberra Times … Mr Barr has reversed the $50 regulation and apologised for the confusion of this week. He also rebuked Ms Burch in strong terms, calling her into his office on Tuesday and again on Wednesday, but stopped short of sacking her.
Well, he couldn’t, could he, because it turned out that Mr Corbell had done the same thing.
Ms Burch remains Minister for Gaming, but Mr Barr told her he expects a change in approach.
“It’s not enough for the minister in that portfolio just to consult with the club industry,” he told the Canberra Times. “I want a broader level of consultation” … “I’ve expressed my disappointment at the minister …”
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